


Feat of Strength

by Oh_no_not_us



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 10:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17547632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oh_no_not_us/pseuds/Oh_no_not_us
Summary: A shout out to TRfanfic for the prompt.This fic explores what would happen if Delia had been the one to see Patsy and Tom dancing together.Will there be outrage? Will there be hurt feelings? Will there be anything good to come of it? Nothing but fluff, really.Give it a go! I hope you enjoy. Comments welcome :)





	Feat of Strength

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Janet Doughnut](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Janet+Doughnut).



> TRfanfic posted 'Devastation' in response to a prompt to describe what would happen if Delia had been the one to see Patsy and Tom dancing together instead of Trixie. (in 1000 words or less). Here's my answer to her request for more fics on that prompt.

“Are you sure about going out tonight?” Delia enquired.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. I promised Fred. It is for Trixie after all. If it weren’t for her I’m not sure how I would have survived my first year at Nonnatus. Especially with you so far away” Patsy replied.

The journey from the nurse’s home to the community centre wasn’t far, but after working a full shift, meeting Delia for tea and returning, it made for a long day on one’s feet. Patsy knew enough this time to wear an older, stout pair of shoes. There weren’t enough fingers or toes to count the number of times Tom trod on her feet last time. Bless him; on a good day he had two left feet. Most of the time he was all thumbs and graceless.

Fred suggested tonight’s repertoire include a jitterbug, a waltz and a variation on swing. Patsy considered these far beyond the clergyman’s skill level and thought more success might be obtained via a wild boogie-woogie or bunny hop. A box step or waltz was absolutely necessary. Tom needed to take Trixie in his arms and hold her closely at the wedding without inflicting pain on the blond nurse. Patsy’s toes had recovered since the last lesson, but it was unclear how much more she could take today.

Fred had music at the ready, tea brewed and tried to encourage Tom to relax and feel the beat. When Patsy arrived, he and Tom were sat listening to Kay Starr. Fred was tapping his feet to the rhythm, trying to get Tom to do the same, but with limited success. What should have been Tap. Tap. Tap-tap. Tap. Tap Tap-tap was reproduced as Tap-tap-tap. Tap… Tap-tap or some mutation thereof. Patsy silently sighed, watching the pair, but managed a smile and words of encouragement to start the lesson.

“Places ladies and gents. Mr Herewood, Miss Mount, this dance will be a box step.” Tom groaned, recalling the last lesson. Not to be deterred, Fred put needle to record and approached Patsy. “Let’s show him how it’s done”.

As Fred counted aloud, Patsy and he made several rotations around the room. “Your time to cut in-- Reverend?” 

Tom approached the pair, then stopped, asking, “May I have this dance?”

Fred stepped out of his way, continued to count and box step holding onto the memory of his wife as he swayed. Patsy took Tom’s hands, placed one at her waist and firmly grasped the other. Their tentative movements began with Tom looking down at his feet and then at Patsy’s feet as he trod yet again on her shoes.

“Tom, if I may, I’m sure Trixie will appreciate all your efforts on the dance floor. Her movements may be graceful and yours less so, but you can look into her eyes and connect there as you hold her. “

At that moment an unexpected visitor appeared. All eyes turned towards her as she said, “Alrigh’. It’s like carrying a cup of tea and walking from the kitchen to the sitting room.  
If you watch the cup whilst walking, it spills right Charlie quick. But if you just look where you are headed instead you reach the room without losing a drop”.

Patsy wondered if her girlfriend was there to provide reinforcement and smiled at the welcome surprise. Fred exclaimed, “Miss Busby! Welcome to the dance hall! If your card isn’t full perhaps you will join us for a turn?”

“I would like nothing more, Fred.” 

Tom’s face turned slightly red as he pondered having more witnesses to his foibles. Fred restarted the music allowing Patsy and Tom to begin again.

Delia sat and warmed herself with a cup of milky brew whilst the couple moved about. Fred announced which feet should be moving where and when, but it all looked hopeless. 

The song ended. Fred, in his wisdom, proposed the partners change. “Here’s what we’ll do, mate. If the ladies don’t mind, I’ll have them demonstrate while I describe what your steps are during the dance. What do you say?”  
Tom nodded. Delia hadn’t really been paying much attention to the men, but once the question was posed, she stood, slightly stunned. Ever the trooper, Patsy approached her. With her back to the men she grinned at Delia, but panicked internally with the thought of dancing in public with the woman she loved.

“May I have this dance, Miss Busby?” Patsy grasped Delia’s outstretched hand and led her to the center of the room.

Keeping each other at arm’s length the women began to move to the waltz. Fred counted, "One-two-three, one-two-three." Observing Tom’s confusion, Fred clapped, stopping the couple. “This isn’t working! Miss Mount, you are the lady in this exercise, not the lead. Miss Busby, do you ‘ave any objections to portraying the gentleman? Then Tom can learn as you lead Patsy.”

Barely able to stifle a laugh, Delia simply smiled at the instructor. “This will be like when I taught my brothers back home. I led until they learned how to do it."

There was a slight false start as the women manoeuvred hands and arms to their rightful places. They had never danced together with Delia as the lead.  
Fred continued describing how Tom should move. He walked over to the couple and said, “I’m sure Tom and his future missus will not be so distant. Alright now, move closer so Tom can learn what to do.”

With that, the ladies pressed closer together, forgetting their audience for a time as they embraced and moved to the music. 

Just loud enough so Patsy could hear, Delia whispered, “For tonight, at least, we won’t just be dancing together in our heads.”

Patsy leaned into her partner, breathed her scent, then abruptly broke away asking, “Anyone up for the bunny hop!?”

**Author's Note:**

> The Kay Starr song Fred and Tom listened to while toe tapping is 'The Rock and Roll Waltz'. A fun one, imho.  
> 


End file.
